Bengal Presidency

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Here’s a detailed timeline of the Bengal Presidency (also known as the Bengal Province) under British rule, highlighting major events and administrative changes:

Early British Influence in Bengal

• 1651 – British East India Company (EIC) sets up a factory (trading post) in Hooghly.
• 1690 – EIC strengthens its position in Calcutta, Hooghly, and Chittagong.
• 1756 – Siraj-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Bengal, attacks and captures Calcutta (“Black Hole of Calcutta” incident).
• 1757 (June 23) – Battle of Plassey; Robert Clive defeats Siraj-ud-Daulah. Marks the beginning of British political control in Bengal.

Formation of Bengal Presidency

• 1765 – Diwani rights (revenue collection) granted to the East India Company by the Mughal emperor, Shah Alam II. Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa come under Company administration.
• 1772 – Regulating Act and Warren Hastings as Governor of Bengal (some administrative reforms start).
• 1773 – Regulating Act passed; creates Governor-General of Bengal, making the presidency the central authority in British India.
• 1774–1785 – Warren Hastings serves as first Governor-General, introduces judicial and administrative reforms.
• 1793 – Permanent Settlement of Bengal under Lord Cornwallis; fixes land revenue permanently with Zamindars.

Expansion and Consolidation

• 1803–1805 – Bengal Presidency’s influence extends over Bihar, Orissa, parts of Madras, and the Northwest Provinces.
• 1833 – Charter Act makes Bengal Presidency a central administrative unit; Governor-General of Bengal becomes Governor-General of India.
• 1857–1858 – Indian Rebellion of 1857; Bengal Presidency plays a key role in administration during the revolt.

Post-Rebellion and Administrative Reforms

• 1858 – British Crown takes over from East India Company; Bengal Presidency remains the largest province in British India.
• 1862–1905 – Bengal Presidency continues as a major administrative unit including modern-day Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, and parts of Chhattisgarh.
• 1905 – Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon into Eastern Bengal and Assam and Western Bengal (provoked widespread protests; later annulled in 1911).

Later Years and Legacy

• 1911 – Partition annulled; Bengal reunited, but the capital of India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
• 1947 – British India is partitioned; Bengal Presidency splits into:
  
• West Bengal (India)
• East Bengal (later East Pakistan, now Bangladesh)
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If you want, I can also make a visual timeline chart of the Bengal Presidency with key dates and events—it will make it super easy to memorize. Do you want me to do that?